Ejecting key container



Jan. 20, 1953 MULLAN 2,625,814

EJECTNG KEY CONTAINER Filed Au 9 1949 l'aten[ed Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE ,'his invention relates to keys for operating locks and n"10!'e particularly t0 those intended to be carried on the person in a casing ada ted to prevent damage to the key.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and ilnproved casing for holding a key con veniently and that vvill faci1itate its use Another object of the invention is t0 p1,0vide a new and i1nproved holder for a key that Will sel've to protect the key while not in use in a 10ck, while at the same time provide means for placing it in a lock, and turn1g it and enable it to be ejected fron1 the10ck when feturned to the position s11itable for its rernoval A further object of the invention is to provide al casing and holder for a key that Wi11 hold the key Securely, enable it to be readily changed, afford substantia1 holding of the key in the hand f01'its Inanipulation, and be attractive in appearance Additiona1 0bjects will be evident as the inven tion is further out1ined For a better understanding of the invention, its objects and the principles there0f, reference is nlade to the accolnpanying drawings These dravvings in conjunction with the f()110vving de Scliption outline a particu1ar form by Way of exan le, While the clailns eInphasize the Scope of the invention and partioularly point out its chaacteriStic elelnents( Referring to the drarings;

Figure 1 is a plan view of the key casing elnbodying this invention, the ho110w clatnping sleeve being Shown in extended position encasing the y;

1igure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 With the clanping sleeve depressed into the hollow case;

Figure 3 is a plan view sin1ilar to F'igu1-e 1, With parts broken away to show its inner consruction;

E'igure is a sectional view taken alon 1i1e of Figure 3, and

'igure is an end view Showing the key end of the casing.

The sanle reference nulnerals pertain to the same parts throughout the drawings.

In ar particular form of key retainer the key is nornlally held 00Inp1etely encsed in a case and when used in the 100k it is pushed out by the 1nger of the operator. This has advantages in its own Way and in 1Tlany instances is preferred by certain pe0ple. II0vvever to individuals Who prefer a key to be held at a distance from the hand, and its placement in the key hole by an easy nlovement of the hand, rather than between two f1ngers, the construction shown in this en1- bodnent is preferable, especially vhen the Withdrawal of the key Inay be quickly and conveniently arranged by turning the key to insertion p0sition. This particular construction, is relatively simple t consists of a ho110w case m of quasicy1indrica1 forln havin one end closed by ai cap l and the other end open to forn1 a Inouth |2- I0les |4 are !1ade in the wa11 0f the case adjacent the cap and serve to provide for the use of a' holding chain or ring i5 0f conventiona1 forn The n10uth portion of the case has a pai1- of oppositely 10cated 1ongitudinal slots 3 Cut in the vvall there0f to enable the enlarged head portion l6 0f a key IT to be held and limit its re tracted position therein 'he interior and exterior surfaces of the case Inay be of octagonal forn1 0I' the contour Inay have any Suitable fornl but that of a' circle This is made so, in order that a hollovv clarnping Sleeve la therein having a similar transverse Sectional contour, Will be non-Totatable therein. ''he Sleeve l8 is forIned with a pair of oppositely placed slots l9 disposed 10ngitudinally for almost its Whole length' This arrangen1ent of the s1ots gives a resilient char acteristic t() the vva11S of the Sleeve and enables then1 to be pressed towards each other vvithout lin1iting their tendency to expand outwardly back to norrna1 contour One end portion 20 of the sleeve beyond the ends of the s1ots l9, is restricted to n 0pening sinilar to the cross sectiona1 area and form of the key IT S0 the key shank may be 10cated and recipr0cated in the sleeve I'he sleeve la is of a size to permit its se p1acenlent inside the case and has lugs 2| On its periphery near its open end 22. These lugs 2| t and lock into depressions 23- fornled in the inner wa11 0f he case l. ''he lugs and depressions are coextensive, para1le1 and opp0site each other and do not liInit the recip1-0cating Inovenlent of the Sleeve therein except f01 the anlount necessary to nove the key the1ein durin insertion and ejection fron1 the 10ck 24 it nlay be used in It wi11 be noted that the end of the key projects ightly beyond the sleeve when in norlnal poSi This is arranged S0 as to facilitate its align ment and insertion into the key hole of the lock 24- 'The key T is !1Or!!121ly disposed in the sleeve l8 in the Inanner indicated in the drawings Its Surfaces are contacted by the Surfaces of he wa11s that bound the s10ts ls and hold the key Securely in aj position suitable for placenlent in the key hole. 'The key hovvever can reciprocate in the Sleeve dufing retraction and outvvard projection. 'T'() facilitate the Inove[nent of the key IT in the 

